National University of Singapore

Electrical and Computer Engineering

CG2027 (Transistor-Level Digital Circuits)

Assignment #2 Solution
AY21/22 Semester 1
Issued: Aug. 17, 2021 Due: Aug. 22, 2021 (18:00)

Problem 1: Load Estimate (Capacitance and Resistance)

We assume a wire length of 200um, and width of 0.2um.

A B
Metal 0.2um
200um

a) Calculate the value of Cwire for the wire segment A to B of the metal. Assume area capacitance is 19
aF/um2, and fringe capacitance is 61 aF/um.

➔ Area Capacitance = ( 19 aF/um2 ) * 200 um * 0.2 um = 0.76 fF

Fringe Capacitance= ( 61 aF/um ) * 200 um * 2 = 24.4 fF

CTotal = CArea +CFringe = 0.76 fF + 24.4 fF = 25.16 fF.

b) Calculate the value of Rwire for the segment A to B. Assume the sheet resistance of the metal is given as
0.04/ㅁ.

➔ Wire Resistance = ( 0.04 ohm/ㅁ) *200 um / 0.2um = 40 ohm

Problem 2: Propagation Delay and IR Drop

a) For the wire given in Problem 1, assuming 4mA of current is flowing through the segment, what is the IR
drop?

➔ IR drop = 4mA * 40 ohm = 160 (mV)

b) If a voltage source with 50 output impedance is driving this wire segment, what is the propagation delay
tp?

➔ tp = 0.69RC = 0.69 * (50+40) ohm * 25.16*10-15 = 1.562 (ps) (5% difference allowed)
Problem 3: Inverter Output Voltage

We assume two inverters: (a) an NMOS inverter with pull-up resistor, and (b) a CMOS inverter, as shown
below. Assume the on resistance of all the transistors (M1-M3) is 10kΩ.

VDD=1V VDD=1V
Ron,M1 Ron,M2
=10kΩ =Ron,M3
RD=90kΩ M3 =10kΩ
Vout
Vin Vout
Vin
M1 CL
M2 CL

(a) NMOS inverter (b) CMOS inverter

with pull-up resistor

a) For the NMOS inverter shown in the figure 3 (a), what is the steady-state Vout value when Vin=0V and 1V,
respectively?

➔ When Vin =0V, M1 is turned off, and Vout is charged to VDD=1(V) through RD. Therefore, Vout=1(V).

➔ When Vin =1V, M1 is turned on, and a voltage divider is formed between RD (90kΩ) and Ron,M1 (10kΩ).
Therefore, Vout=1*(10k)/(10k+90k) = 0.1(V).

b) For the CMOS inverter shown in Fig. 3(b), what is the steady-state Vout value when Vin=0V and 1V,
respectively?

➔ Vin =0V, M2 is turned off, and Vout is charged to VDD=1(V) through M3. Therefore, Vout=1(V).

➔ Vin =1V, M3 is turned off, and Vout is discharged to GND through M2. Therefore, Vout=0 (V).

Note the output voltage of the CMOS inverter is independent of the on resistance of M2 and M3.